SOMERSET STUDENTS IN CROATIA AND SLOVENIA

Somerset students from Tauntons Richard Huish College have visited the former Yugoslav Republics of Croatia and Slovenia on a comparative Sociology and Law study trip.

In Croatia the students stayed in the Port city of Pula where they linked up with the School of Art and Design and their progressive head teacher Davor Klimann. The 36 students and 5 staff stayed at the Luxury Hotel Pula, with its own private Adratic beach. Sadly however, uncharacteristic rain put a damper on their stay which also included visits to the 2000 year old Roman Amphitheatre, the Istrian archaelogical museum and the city fortifications which dated back to the time of Christ.

Irish writer James Joyce famously stayed in Pula for a while during which he wrote some of his book 'Ullysees'. Mr Klimann added .."however, he didn;t like it very much".

The group moved North for the second part of their tour and the weather surprisingly brightened up. In the Slovene coastal town of Koper (Capodistria) they were welcomed by students of the Koper Gymnasium who will be coming to Somerset in April and shown around their town. Afterwards they continued their journey to the beautiful Alpine mountain resort of Bled with its Glacial lake, Castle on a rocky peak and tasty cream cakes known as Kremsnitas.

Their final day was spent with students at the sleepy market town of Radovljica where they did a presentation on Somerset life and England in general after being given a fascinating lecture on the changes in Slovenia from Yugoslavia to present days by tour operator Janez Medja.

Photo (Right) Croatian Headteacher Davor Klimann receiving a photo of Somerset from Teacher Richard Bethell.








Photo;- (Left) Slovenian and Somerset students on the Steps of The Economic school in Radovljica

On April 14 a group of Slovenian students from Koper will visit Somerset for 5 days and link up with the Richard Huish school whilst in the county.



On Friday April 16 we will hold another 'International Night' at the Unity Club in Bridgwater and sepcially have a Slovenian theme. The students in return will bring samples of Slovenian music and food to sample.

Photo (Right) Slovenian teacher Marja Podjed discusses aspects of the English Legal system with student Emily Roberts.

INTERNATIONAL NIGHTS LAUNCHED WITH A CUBAN THEME

Bridgwater International has launched a series of monthly 'International Nights' at the Bridgwater Unity Club on Dampiet street and kicked off this March 19th with a Cuban theme.

Local singer and Labour councillor Elaine di Campo had just returned from a Jazz cultural exchange to the island and brought with her a shed load of pinacolada, some Cuban cigars-which were auctioned to raise money for Labour candidate Kathy Pearces General Election campaign and at least one Cuban song (from the repertoire of the Buena Vista Social Club).

The evening was open to anyone who supported the Internationalist ideals of the organisation and local workers and students were welcomed alongside Guest Workers from the many European countries represented in the town today.

The music of the evening was provided by Elaines band 'Midnight Blue' and a sound system playing largely Latin American music. Special guest appearance was by Somerset singer Sam Redington (pictured) who will be performing at next months International night which will beheld on Friday April 16th and will also feature Portuguese reggae from Herb'an Music.

The April 16 event will be host to 28 Slovenians from the Adriatic town of Koper (Capodistria) and therefore a Slovenian theme will be the order of the day with some food laid on for everyone.

SNOWY CZECH FAREWELL TO SOMERSET STUDENTS

On the final day of the visit to the Czech Republic by Richard Huish College students winter had returned with a vengeance as can be seen from todays pictures.

Staying for 2 days in the South Bohemian town of Ceske Budejovice (home of Budweiser beer) the Health & Social Care students from Taunton have been hosted by our partner school the Cesko Anglicky Gymnasium. Pictured coming out of CAG is trip organiser Liz Truman, who first came to Czech with us 3 years ago on a Plymouth University project and now takes annual groups to East Europe, her daughter Sarah and fellow teacher Gemma Wakefield.

Since being in Ceske Budejovice the students have visited a maternity ward in the Bozena Nemcova Hospital where they were shown babies only several days old in incubators and visited a delivery suite. They also spent time in the ZS Baara school where there is a particularly high proportion of Roma children and a larger level of deprivation in the catchment area.

They were particularly delighted to attend a special version of 'Strakonicky Dudak' (Bagpiper from Strakonice) by a local multi-national theatre company who camped up the 19th century fable so much to get their message across it was like being in the presence of a dozen Borats all demanding your attention. The result was immensely enjoyable mayhem!

Their final afternoon took them to the UNESCO town of Cesky Krumlov before going out for the evening with Czech students to sample the delights of South Bohemia.

BRIDGWATER INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR 2010

Bridgwater's 2010 international link programme for 2010 has kicked off with 3 back to back visits to the Czech capital Prague. Groups from Bridgwater College and Richard Huish College Taunton have all been involved in Residentials organised by Bridgwater International.

In February the Bridgwater College Sociology Students visited Arabska Gymnasium and the Hostivar Christian Gymnasium (very keen to have a school to school link if anyones interested) plus visited the Terezin Nazi Transportation camp, the Staropramen brewery and also watched the Slavia v Liberec ice hockey game.

By early March the Bridgwater College Media study group had also visited the city and included a tour of the Barrandov film studios and the Czech TV station on their itenary along with a link up with the FAMU college of film studies organised by Jakub Drocar of 'Punk Films'

A week later the Richard Huish Health & Social care students were in Prague and dropping in on kindergartens and Zakladni schools in Prague before heading down to Ceske Budejovice for some maternity hospital and special needs school visits plus a link up with the Cesko-Anglicky Gymnasium.

Our year had already kicked off early with a visit to Somerset by a group of family Centre workers from Bridgwaters twin town Uherske Hradiste with a planning visit that has led to a European funding bid which should come about in August this year.